Squirm

About

Squirm is a single player arcade platformer game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Alpentater and was released on March 23, 2018. It received neutral reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Squirm" is a single-player platformer game with an ingenious story and spectacular game mechanics. The game features great music and plenty of humor, with an optional launcher for the Windows version. The collection includes "Squirm," "Loop-Loop DX," and "Pocket Squirm," where you play as a rat on a mission to save your friend from a spooky tower in Squirmlia, navigating through 7 zones with unique obstacles in each. The game is available for purchase at a "pay what you want" pricing model on Itch.io.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 139 reviews

music24 positive mentions

The game features charming visuals and a quirky sense of humor that adds to its appeal.
Solid platforming mechanics with a fair difficulty curve, making it challenging yet enjoyable.
Great value for the price, providing a fun experience that can be completed in a couple of hours.

The game can be frustratingly difficult at times, especially in certain levels that feel unfair.
Some controls and mechanics, like the jetpack, are poorly implemented and can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The soundtrack is hit or miss, with some tracks being grating or unmemorable.

music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
32%
8%
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its catchy and charming qualities that evoke a retro aesthetic, while others find certain tracks grating or mediocre. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as fitting well with the gameplay and enhancing the experience, though some players noted inconsistencies in quality. Despite some criticisms, many reviewers appreciate the effort put into the music, especially considering the game's indie development background.
- “Great platformer with awesome level design and a quality soundtrack!”
- “Brilliant music, just the right length to feel like an accomplishment but not so long that it wears you down.”
- “While there is little in the way of sound effects, the music that plays throughout the game reinforces the charming retro aesthetic with lovely chiptunes devised for each of the main game areas.”
- “The music is gratingly simple and loud until the late game.”
- “Soundtrack is hit or miss-- either it's a catchy, bass-y tune or it's an annoying high-pitched song that might force you to just mute that section.”
- “The music is sadly ranging from okay to horrible.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The game's story is described as engaging, humorous, and creatively simple, effectively complementing its challenging platforming gameplay. While some players appreciate the quirky characters and fun narrative, others note that the storyline can feel vague or take a back seat to the action. Overall, it offers a delightful mix of absurdity and charm, making it appealing to both casual players and hardcore gamers alike.
- “From all its indie competitors on Steam, this one easily takes the cake, connecting an engaging story with action-packed platform levels even for the most hardcore gamers, reminding me of some Meatboy-esque designs.”
- “The story elements are just as fun and have a great sense of humor throughout!”
- “The story is absurd and obscure, but still intriguing enough to keep one's attention.”
- “There is a story there, but it takes a back seat, and you won't be seeing much of it.”
- “The only thing that could make it better is a more clear storyline (at least I don't get the whole story, I haven't finished the game).”
- “My biggest problem is probably the eye-roll inducing 'message' on conformity, but since the game is so simple and you don't really need to pay attention to the plot, it's not a big deal.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
38%
14%
The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics, charming atmosphere, and variety of platforming challenges, making it an engaging experience that lasts around 2-3 hours. While it features easy-to-learn controls and a good difficulty curve, some players noted moments of frustration with certain challenges. Overall, the game offers a refreshing mix of humor, interesting characters, and diverse gameplay elements that keep players entertained.
- “A mechanically solid and super charming platformer that is absolutely worth the price of admission (I would have paid more!).”
- “The graphics are nice, the controls are tight, difficulty ramps up reasonably even in the secret areas, new game mechanics are introduced well and they are made as non-frustrating as possible (for example, broken blocks in the castle do not reset on death), the soundtrack is good, and the price tag is cheap even without sales.”
- “It's got solid gameplay, a good difficulty curve, and lots of character and charm.”
- “- doesn't feel mechanically fluid when moving, dodging, jumping, etc”
- “Mostly single screen challenges, but the gameplay is broken up with lots of different hazards, several bosses, power-ups, and secret areas.”
- “The gameplay touches all kinds of platforming challenges in each location, some better than others, and in some cases this game dabbles in other genres for a quick change of pace.”
humor
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its engaging and quirky nature, featuring a mix of funny dialogue, charming characters, and a lighthearted story that doesn't take itself too seriously. Players appreciate the blend of fun and challenge in the platforming mechanics, with many noting the presence of dark and crude humor that adds to the overall experience. Overall, the game's unique sense of humor and clever writing contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a standout in the platforming genre.
- “I thought the story was engaging but also really funny, and I liked the platforming sections quite a bit.”
- “The story elements are just as fun and have a great sense of humor throughout!”
- “As I delved further in, I got to experience a wealth of excellent level design and a writing style that had me chuckling with surprise on more than one occasion.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming retro aesthetic, featuring simplistic yet appealing pixel art that effectively complements the game's tone and story. Players appreciate the visuals for their uniqueness and the way they enhance the overall experience, while the music and sound design, though not groundbreaking, are well-integrated and contribute to the game's nostalgic feel. Overall, the graphics are deemed high quality and fitting for the platformer genre, making the game visually engaging and enjoyable.
- “Really love the art style and cute story.”
- “This is another one of those tough platformer games, but this is one with charm and visuals that makes it worth the playthroughs.”
- “The game is presented with a charming retro aesthetic, making good use of limited colors to really sell each different zone as unique.”
- “Graphics are simplistic; dialogue is hilarious (albeit a little inappropriate), characters are great, music I kind of had mixed reactions to.”
- “Music and graphics are nothing 'special', but they fit the game very well.”
- “The aesthetics blend the longing for nostalgia with the demands of modern gaming.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of loneliness and desolation, enhanced by its artistic variety and engaging gameplay mechanics. Players appreciate the relaxing yet occasionally surreal and creepy ambiance, complemented by atmospheric music that enriches the overall experience.
- “Great atmosphere and art, variety of styles and gameplay mechanics.”
- “Not to mention that this game somehow manages to achieve an atmosphere of loneliness and desolation, despite the many NPCs you can encounter, which I really enjoy.”
- “It's a nice little platformer, which has a surreal and wacky atmosphere that I always like, but which can get surprisingly creepy and weird on occasions.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's stability is marred by notable bugs in level design, including softlocks and issues with keypress events that require players to repeatedly re-press directional keys after dying or changing rooms. Despite these flaws, the game runs smoothly overall and offers engaging gameplay.
- “It's got humor, runs great, is simple yet challenging, and has various gameplay elements to keep things interesting.”
- “The game is incredibly stable, with minimal bugs or crashes, allowing for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “I appreciate how consistently the game performs, making it easy to dive in and enjoy without interruptions.”
- “The level design is buggy; I found two softlocks just by accidentally walking into them. There's a rookie mistake with the keypress events that forces you to let go and re-press the directional keys almost every time you die or change rooms.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
- “I experienced constant frame drops and stuttering, which severely impacted my gameplay experience.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers high replayability, particularly due to the challenge of unlocking all achievements, which keeps players engaged and encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Fun game with high replay value, especially when trying to unlock all of the achievements!”
- “The variety of choices and paths keeps me coming back for more!”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different strategies you can employ.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Character development in the game is marked by a unique and bizarre design that blends charm with an unsettling quality, effectively reflecting the abnormality of the game's world. This intriguing contrast adds depth to the characters, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The character design is truly unique; there's a charming yet slightly creepy element to all of them that perfectly captures the abnormality of the game's world.”
- “The depth of character development is impressive, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character as their stories unfold.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making choices feel impactful and leading to meaningful growth in their personalities.”
- “I can't think of a word for the character design other than 'bizarre': there's this charming, yet slightly creepy element to all of them that I could never shake, which underpins the abnormality of the world the game takes place in.”
- “The character development feels shallow and unengaging, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
- “I expected more depth from the characters, but they all seem one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is somewhat hindered by occasional issues with jumping mechanics, particularly towards the end when players struggle with platforming precision. This can detract from the overall immersive experience.